Tracing your family tree with Ancestry.ca

Like many people, I wondered if  Ancestry.ca could help reveal more than what I already know about my family history. Having said that, I don't think I'd come up with any skeletons in the closet and I don't think anything would surprise me given that both my parents and the generations before that seem to have a pretty straight forward lineage. I don't believe any other ethnicities blended into our family tree until my generation. But I was still curious.

The company came top of mind when videos started popping up on television and online. You know, the people who were surprised to discover their ethnic backgrounds and their results from doing the AncestryDNA test sometimes led to unexpected connections. Like this one...

In September, I started my discovery process with AncestryDNA. The test was simple. Order the kit online and when you recieve it, register it on the site with the designated tracking code to activate the account. Then, spit in a tube and send it off to the lab. Done. Then wait. 

I was sent a notice via email when my DNA sample had arrived at the lab and another update to inform me that they've begun the analysing process. Within 2 weeks my results were in. 

While I waited for the results, I noticed that I could start my building my family tree with access to limited information that is free. You could even start now by entering a general search of your surname. What you'll find are topline historical records (census, voters lists etc)  from around the world. I spent a good amount of time also discovering a history that I didn't know existed that included slave schedules in the US that dated in early 1800s. Okay, that surprised me. I had no idea. More detailed records are available if I choose to dig deeper but it's accessible only with a monthly membership.

The access to historical public records is great to search for deceased relatives and it helps save time and legwork when it comes to building your own family tree and the global library of data on the site is impressive. As mentioned, if you are really serious about tracing your family tree (or confirming what you already know) then investing in the monthly membership may be worth your while. It would seem like an obvious choice for a gift for someone in the family who has the time and interest but they also should be comfortable with doing this online. 

Having said that, you, or someone else in the family, can play the role of administrator and hold the main access and communications on behalf of another family member in their personal account, who may not be so comfortable in using a computer or the internet. 

And what can the DNA test component offer?  Once you've received your results, Ancestry.ca gives you an overview of ethnicity regions that you're linked to with an easy to understand pie chart.  No surprise that mine is predominately Asia. However, I admit it was fun to discover that I was showing 11% Polyensian. Interesting! That itself is enough of a conversation piece around the dinner table as both my parents looked at each other and said "don't look at me, it's not my side!" 

Then, you're also given a list of those with some genetic similarities who have also initiated searches on Ancestry. This could also include people with different names but are from the same ethnic regions. That's where it can get exciting and possibly a way of connecting lost family members. You're given basic profile information on the living matches and depending on what access they grant to other members (as well as your membership level) you could reach out to them and start a conversation to figure out how you connect. 

Another interesting point about Ancestry is you can learn about population movements that may reveal some unexpected occurances in your family history. I could already trace family movement from various points in Asia to the UK, South America and North America. I'll look further into when I have more time. I'll be checking in with my dad who's started mapping out the family tree and see if I can fill any holes. By the way, I like that you can build your family tree on the site by also adding stories, documents and photos to your personal account.

There's lots to learn and I've really only started the process. It will take time to trace, for sure. There are about 3 million Ancestry members globally and growing and is by far the largest in this service. But the more people who use it the better it becomes for connections as it's only as good as what's available now. It's still growing and if you're serious about tracing your family roots, this can be a great tool to help. I can see that it can become addictive if you can dedicate time to exploring.

The AncestryDNA kit costs $129 per test (look for special offers around the holidays). Ancestry.ca memberships range from $9.99 per month to $29.99 per month. 

Happy searching!